By Christopher Hunt
James Naglieri admitted he was shocked. Stunned even. He didn’t know quite what to expect from his North Rockland team that graduated three seniors last year, including their ace Nick Hughes.
What he did know is that North Rockland had a great 4x800 relay last year. A relay that Naglieri, the team’s best distance runner, wasn’t on. Now almost by general rule, many assume that a great 4x800 relay in the spring equate to top-notch cross country team’s in the fall. But somehow North Rockland is largely left out of the conversation for potential state champs.
If Nagleri harbored any doubt himself, his teammates answered all that in the first couple weeks of practice.
“After a couple workouts together we all looked at each other,” Naglieri said. “It was shocking. I didn’t know we were in that position yet.”
The position is one where the Red Raiders, the state federation champs last year, look to capture the crown that eluded them last year when Fayetteville-Manilus upset them for the state Class AA title. Tim Mendez, Dylan Landry, Nick Bien-Aime and Alex Andre popped a Rockland County record 7:44.88 while finishing third at the outdoor state meet. Add seniors Naglieri and Brett Bernard and the Red Raiders go further on the depth chart than even last year's team.
When 3 of the top 5 graduate it’s almost a knee-jerk reaction to think the next group will be inexperienced. Mendez, Bien-Aime and Naglieri were all on the team that won the school’s first federation championship last season but lost to FM at states. Andre was the team’s top junior varsity runner last year. Landry showed promise last year but suffered an abdominal strain and didn’t finish the season.
“We really honestly have five guys that can be our No. 1 on any given day,” Baloga said. “I don’t know if that makes us the secret of the state. I really don’t care bout any of that right now.”
What he did care about, at least to some extent, is that his team isn’t mischaracterized because of their success of the track.
“I would really hate to have this team be considered a hybrid of middle distance runners,” he said.
North Rockland opens its season Friday at Anthony Wayne State Park in Harriman for the Red Raider Run, its home invitational. But the first major test will be at the Great American Cross Country Festival, Oct. 2 at the SAS Soccer Complex in Cary, N.C.
Last year was the team’s most successful in school history, which also saw Nick Hughes win the first individual state championship in school history. This team is without a home-run-type front man but may be as deep as any team in the state.
“”We’re all hungry,” Naglieri said. “They way it’s looking now we’re just as good, maybe even better, than last year. It’s a different team but we still got the same people. They were all with us throughout last season. They all know the deal.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.